New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-10-23


ginning TO end IL had no terrors save Tor the
guilty. II was only obnOXIous to selfish scacmerS
and the di.ioyal element. w.'irh cyen then was PIE.
pairing for the act OF scce sion To tins Soutlcrn
element il was INDEED IN olieci OF il'cn' DIS lAe,
and chiefly for the reason thar u represented the
emery, aud pnblic .pls' Of the No.ih. prominent
leader Of the >o-caliel law aud order parry cF-
blessed ms earnest desire 20 he pi' ~ the head II
,.to.c force f,ltt hr might drive those Yankee
n,rt--r der, into tb, sa' But thc Yankee pork
traders verc-D, % be drven. c,n'r then or later,
and the "rhivalry" could only Gn'sh their teeth
and raee-wheD hey were not calicl up'nto leave
th41rcountry Tor their country's good.
When vc consider IN, irritating chirac.er OF the
nrnatriolic onpo.Ii ~ made TO the Committc', the
deliberate interpretations 10 which they were
subjected. the iisk, they were compelled to cn-
countcr. In, heavy burlcl of expense they car
rel their behavior uader all their trials
and foundations deserves to be CHAR
actcrizcd rs MAGNIFICENT exhibition OF
capacity for self-govcrn'nent. They resolutely
kent on. of politics. They utterly refused 10 en-
ploy their practically unlimited power for any
selfish end Every man of thcm-anh they num-
hercd S.OOO contributed time, means energy,
g,nd-will and took in return nothing but the con
sciousness of duty well done. 1t Is thirty Years
ago since these things happened. and Young America
II
FMS those who aaw and took part IN thcm know
how much the Sc f-deaia and integrity OF tho
Vigilance Commit really meant. 1t was an eX-
ceptionaly loose and corrupt period and region.
Until James King of William. with his HuichR,
kindcd the conscience Of san Francisco. even her
best citizens had been almost crlmhhaly Indifferent
to The growing and notorious Infamy OF every de
partmcnt of tie government. The lust of riches
which parayzed pubic spirit is not favorable to
the development OF scrupulousnes', integrity or
indeed any virtue. Indor Such conditions, II
public opinion is at last so outraged az To rise 10
rctrIbntlvc action the natural recourse would be
toIynch law But nothing Of the kind occurred
here The people knew we'll that Casey and Cara
would never be punished by the process of the
courts They therefore cried out for summary
vengeance That was the first result of the
assassination of King. Then came the Vigilance
Committee. Suddenly embodying all the nobleSl
qualities of true citizenship; calmly preparing
to rrassume those civic powers which had been
abused and prostitutcd by the officials to whom hey
were delegated rcprovng with quiet dignity the
inpatient, incorporate crowd that yelled Tor blood
substituting for the dcbauchcd and suborned courts
n popular tribunal At once incorruptlbe and man
cIlable ; holding nndcr foot with sturdy energy
the insurgent rccacitrant criminal elements. AMI
restoring confidence to the whole honest public by
the display Of determination ready for all conclu-
sions and Judgment which was guarantee
against excess aud precipltancy.
The Committee was organized in MAY. and it dis
banded in September, Signalling its retirement by
a review in which It's full military strength was cx
hibifcd and IN which il proved concu,iycly the
fasity of the Interpretation of ITS cncm cs that II
withdrew because It's power was gone In truth
il had never been stronger than on the dly when it
voluntarily chacel itself. nor was this seli-clace-
ment a course free from penalties aud sacriices.
During lis formidable and triumphant career 1t had
made many enemies. and among them were not a
few members of the Bench and Bar. besides all the
criminals and adventures who had been pIoccc led
against. These vowed vengeance. and for years
after sought every opportunity Of obtaining It by
bringing vcxa'Ious SUITS against the leaders of the
Comm ttce Tho Executive Committee. which was
still Organized. met all these attacks brayely.
Money was subscribed literally for defence, and
eventually the malice and cupdty OF the assaIlants
were bafIlcd. But the work very costly to the
Committee. and II added one more to the already
long list of trlas endured without complaint for
the general good.
Mr. Bancroft's history Is Enthusiastically full
and minute. He omits no detail. He gives the
personal record of every leader on both sides Ito
abounds in anccdotc and pregnant illustration.
Though his sympathirs are plainly with the Com
mItiec he gives the opposition Whatever "pportun-
its for justification The frank statement OF the truth
can offer II is deeply interesting aud powerfully
suggestive cha ptcr ID American history. and now
that for the fiji t time 1t is put upon the record
fully. without polite ON ssion- evasIons. ii
appcar. more important and significant than ever.
MI Bancroft concludes the volume with an account
of thc Slud-Lot agitation Of lS77-7N when Dennis
KcaIney came into ephemerll notorcty. and one of
the strangcst campaigns of sheer buster and abuse
Of free speech the world has ever seen was inau-
guraicd The most useful lesson from the Kcarney
episode j., unfortunately, n very old onc namely,
tho tendency Of Office seekers to atrophy Of con-
science. Though KcarncyIsm never rose to the dig
My Of an issue; though from first to last it a
mere loose embodiment Of the widest foles Of the
least intelligent elements the moment 1t looked
if 1t had numerical strength it was treated with
marked respect and cordality by schomers, and
they continued 10 nurse and play with
IT until IT died "A natural death from It's inherent
weakness During shat agitation, however. when
threats were being uttered To burn san Francisco,
10 sack the mansions on " Mob Hill - ana to hang
rich mon to lamp-posts the Vigilance Committee
once more showed signs of vitality. Ia fact. ii re-
organized and was held ready to aid the police, or
II necessary the militia in the event of serlons riot
Fortunately. It never called on, save upon one
occasion, 10 reinforce the clubs Of the police. and
then it welded several hundreds Of handles
with a vigor and address winch perhaps convinced
some would-bc anarchists OF the lutihty of insur.
recton.
1t is to be hoped that there may be no more
work for the Vigilance Committee OF San Francisco
butin any that organization will pass into his
tory with the honOrs that attend public duty well
and Loyalty performed. Whatever we may hold con-
cerning the laxty which preceded its organization,
we must admit that it provided remedial measures
attainablc In no other way, and that 1t accom-
pshed difficult and dangerous ends with I'M
cquaI led intelligence moderation and irmness pass
ing finally into retirement with spOtcss record
that It's worst enemies could only mpeach II by